Supporting the Vulnerable and Displaced

Sir, three areas of recommendations: First, on job re-designing and job re-creation, and expertise for low-income jobs. Sir, beyond enforcing best sourcing and offering cash grants to the SMEs and industries such as cleaning and F&B which host jobs that are typically low paying, low skill and low appeal, MOM should seriously assemble a team of job designing and job re-creation expertise to help transform these jobs.

I remember when I was a young officer at an American multi-national, all staff from production operators to our managing director must return our used utensils to a belt that led to the back of the cafe where the cafe workers then pick them up for washing.

The cafe workers when they were not cleaning also took on additional duties in food preparation. Their uniforms were specially designed and all of us "internal customers" treated them with respect and dignity. This was the best practice some 20 years ago. It is sad that the cleaning and F&B sectors of today have not progressed that much or beyond that.

I therefore seek MOM's further intervention to enhance the cleaning, lower-end F&B sectors, and the like. Can turn-around teams help study and design the jobs and the work environment in such a way that these jobs can be expanded and made more dignified? If these jobs are better designed and presented, perhaps fewer locals will shun the job and there is no need for such a high percentage of foreign workers in this industry.

Next, on Continuing Education and Training (CET) for the Disabled. Sir, the typical workforce in Singapore benefits from the structured CET that is rolled out very well by MOM under the WDA since the last recession. The CET programme for the able-bodied workforce has gone from strength to strength with expanded offerings and target groups like the PMEs. However, there is little attention or resources allocated to ensure that the workforce comprising the disabled (PWDs) is continually trained and can count on lifelong learning to ensure that their skills are relevant and their employment sustained. If the CET issue is not addressed, the Special Employment Credit for the disabled (PWDs) will lose impact soon as their skills will become obsolete due to a lack of lifelong structured training and development. I urge the Ministry to provide headcounts, expertise and funds to form a CET taskforce to work with key disability groups in Singapore to develop a future-proof special-needs workforce.

Finally, on Proactive Career Management. Sir, the Government has expended millions of dollars to ensure the Singapore workforce is relevant and can work for as long as they wish to. I wish to highlight the need to inculcate in all Singaporean workers, the PMEs especially, the ability to retrenchment- and future-proof themselves through more proactive career management on their own. Prevention is better than cure. It is often too late and too traumatic to receive career counselling only when one is retrenched or displaced, or about to be retrenched or displaced. I urge the Ministry to take the lead in launching bite-sized, multilingual training programmes delivered in the appropriate media, to coach Singaporeans, especially the PMEs, how to proactively manage their careers and make themselves retrenchment- and future-proof.